Aon Corp , the world's largest insurance brokerage, reported a larger-than-expected quarterly profit as contributions from recent acquisitions helped offset decline in commissions.

Second-quarter net income attributable to common shareholders was $153 million, or 63 cents a share, compared with $149 million, or 50 cents a share, in the year-ago period.

Excluding items, the company earned 81 cents a share.

Total revenue at the company, which competes with Marsh & McLennan Cos Inc , rose 1 percent to $1.90 billion.

Analysts on average had expected the company to earn 75 cents a share, excluding items, on revenue of $1.87 billion, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.

Revenue from insurance brokerage services, which accounts for more than 80 percent of its total revenue, rose 1 percent to $1.59 billion. Consulting unit revenue rose 6 percent to $317 million.

Shares of the company closed at $36.63 Thursday on the New York Stock Exchange.

(Reporting by Supantha Mukherjee in Bangalore; Editing by Gopakumar Warrier.)